The Pathway That Made a Difference
by SunsetRika
Summary: The unknown outcome of certain decisions can be distressing and Lucy has chosen her path over her fathers. She is certain she will have no regrets about her decision and is grateful to Natsu for giving her the courage to pursue her own aspirations. It can be difficult, but she has the support. AU. Rated T for mild sexual themes.


**Hi all. Hope you're all enjoying Nalu week – I know I am, so many amazing fics out there! I enjoyed writing again so I hope you guys enjoy!**

**Pathway That Made a Difference**

"Natsu, would you just stop and listen to me." Her voice was unconvincing as she pried the wondering hands from her waist, blush across her cheeks and a chuckle in her words. "Stop! You're the one who wanted me to do this in the first place. I'm giving up my valuable time for YOU." Lucy pouted playfully, not looking at him.

"I swear I'm listening Lucy, just go over that last step once more and I'll get it for sure." He released her waist and sufficed with keeping his chin on her shoulder looking at the work in front of them on the table. "Babe, come on I swear this work won't go to waste," he strained his neck to peck her cheek and then proceeded to catch her cheek between his teeth to turn her head back. Cheeky and playful was Natsu Dragneel.

Math had never been Natsu's favourite thing to do, neither was any school work in fact. Many swore that Lucy was the only reason Natsu was finishing his final years in school. Without the words Lucy had said to him all those years ago 'Some education is better than nothing Natsu, and anything you need help with just shout and I'll do anything I can' he would have left and would be applying to the police force by now. Lucy and his other friends thought he needed more maturing before doing anything like that. And mature he did…kind of.

"Fine, I'll explain it once more and then you try a problem on your own, okay?"

"Yeah, then we take a break." Lucy gave him a sceptical look, before continuing on with the work.

"Right, now to find powers of complex numbers we simplf-Ahhhhh," she jumped in surprise when she felt a hand on her inner thigh. "Come on Natsu stop you're the one who needs to pass this exam." She grabbed his wrist but he ignored and started to lightly suck at her neck. "Just continue I'm listening." He whispered it so quietly and seriously that it caused her to stop her resistance and she continued her lesson.

"Anyway ummmm we ah s-simplify using De Moivre's theorem and t-then…"

"Hey, don't say another man's name when I'm feeling you up." They turned their heads to look at each other. Lucy just sighed, "Maybe we'll take a break now we've been going at this for a while."

"Thank you, oh thank God for that. Come on lets go do something fun now." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her over to the couch in front of the television. He pulled her into his lap which she had no objections to. He gave her a firm kiss on her jaw before turning on the television and flicking through the channels. Lucy slipped her school blazer off getting more comfortable on her boyfriend's lad before looking at her watch.

They were both still in their uniform since they came back from school. Lucy's a navy blue colour while Natsu had a white shirt and grey pants. They attended different high schools. Natsu appended your everyday, normal high school while Lucy went to a private school, more prosperous and prestigious generally for the rich kids in town. The schools weren't far from one another and Natsu and Lucy always met up after school.

"It's getting kind of late Natsu do you want me to cook us something real quick," she asked while playing with his pick locks watching whatever comedy Natsu had chosen. Natsu shifts his grip on Lucy turning her around so she straddles his hips. His lips find her throat kissing and biting her sensitive skin, "How about I have you for dinner instead, maybe I'll eats your smarts and I'll finally understand the gibberish you were doing earlier." He moves his lips to her temple and over both her shy eyes. Lucy leans in to capture his lips to spare her the embarrassing comments from her boyfriend.

From the way his hands were firmly grasping her ass, Lucy knew that she would be returning home late tonight or maybe not at all. Her heart was beating fast at the thought of it all. The things this man could make you feel was riveting. She needed to breath but it was like their mouths were glued to each other and their tongues were tied. She managed to pull away regardless, blushing ferociously at the string of saliva connecting their mouths. Wiping her mouth on her sleeve she turned her head to ask, "We should have some dinner Natsu, and do a bit more work afterwards. What ingredients do you have?" She got up flattening her navy blue school skirt.

Natsu remained seated and looked at her, still mesmerised before turning away sheepishly. "Well I've got some instant noodles at the far right cupboard."

Lucy rolled her eyes. It was always the same. She had given him lecture after lecture about eating healthier for dinner. She had even taken the time to teach him how to cook the simplest dishes such as pastas or curries. He was living on a budget and obviously couldn't eat out all the time, so it was either instant noodles or cheap take-out for dinner most of the time. Lucy made it her personal mission to make his diet healthier. She had used to cook meals for him and give them to him after his classes had ended for him to heat up and eat once he had gotten home. It was Lucy constantly caring for him that had made him fall for her. I mean the fastest way to a man's heart was his stomach.

"Look I'm swear I've been having proper meals, it's that I've just ran out of food today…"

"Think before you speak Dragneel, there are Chinese take-out boxes and instant noodle cups all over the kitchen." Natsu sighed and rolled on his back in defeat. "My meals aren't as nice as yours Luce. How about you just move in! That's an amazing idea don't ya think? You can cook and I'll do the dishes and everyone's happy." He hoped off the couch and went over to wrap his arms around her from the back.

Lucy smiled to herself, thinking it was suck a childish yet perfect idea. "Oh yeah that talk would go great with my father. Can I move in with my delinquent boyfriend of four months whom I've never told you about, who lives in the roughest place in the city in a dirty apartment, living on instant noodles for the rest of my life?" She was then suddenly thrown into a fit of laughter when Natsu's hands went to her sides to tickle her. Natsu enjoyed watching her flail onto the ground, trying to punch and kick him off, while she roared with laughter surrendering. "Take that back or I won't stop," ordered Natsu. His hands slipped under her school shirt to tickle her soft, bare skin. "NOOOOO okay I'm ahhhhhaa sorry, I take it back. Sorry please stop ahhhhh."

"Okay now say we can have instant noodles together without you bitching."

"Yes! Now please stop it, I ahh can't breathe." Natsu stopped his actions immediately but stayed on her hips with her under him. She was still giggling and he bent down to kiss her lips softly while humming. She greeted him with a slap in the face, but not too hard and sticks her tongue out at him. Natsu grins mischievously before biting her tongue softly. "Ahh stop it Natsu eww," she giggled. After hours of math before she bewildered how they had so much energy.

They just continued to stare and laugh at each other from that position. Natsu was the first to get up. "No no, you stay on the floor I'm not finished with you." He walks to the kettle ready to put on the water for their 'romantic' dinner of salty, cheap instant noodles, while she remains on the floor still coughing and giggling from her tickle attack. "What if I get up?" Lucy challenged.

She was quickly answered with Natsu hovering over her while his hands fly to her sides once again. After a while they ended up staring at each other again, only the sound of the kettle in the background. She was pretty sure he was ogling at her chest with her white shirt buttoned down far enough for a nice amount of cleavage to show and her dark, pink lacy bra showing through because of the artificial light in the kitchen.

She was starting to get pleasurably uncomfortable under his silent stare before he spoke. "A break in that healthy luxurious diet may do you some good you know."

Suddenly gaining a bit of courage she moved her hands to play with the belt loops in his trousers, "Umm yeah how so?"

"Well…" he paused for a bit before continuing with a sly smirk "I just think a lot of that expensive meat you have is all going to your boobs," as if to emphasize both his hands cup her breasts giving them a squeeze turning Lucy's face the deepest shade of red. She was even more speechless as he nuzzles his face into her exposed cleavage planting kisses on her soft skin.

"Ah aha Natsu! Oh my God you're so immature ahhh," she pathetically attempts to stop her boyfriend's actions. "You didn't say stop Lucy," he taunted quietly, unbuttoning her shirt further to her navel. He licked the exposed part of her breasts before Lucy started punching his back. "Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, STOP IT." And just like that Natsu hopped into a standing position to admire the sight below him. Her hair was slightly messed and fanned out on the floor, her eyes looked embarrassed and they were turned away to avoid his gaze. Her face was flush a cute red and her lips were parted as she breathed heavily. As she breathed her exposed chest moved. He had to admire how nicely that piece of lingerie held her large mounds and how her nipples were so prominently erect through the material. Her shirt was dishevelled and the way her short school skirt was riding up was daring.

….

…

..

After an hour they both emerged from Natsu's small bedroom, dishevelled, breathless, and feeling elate. Natsu was shirtless, only a baggy pair of white, tracksuit on while Lucy had pulled on one of Natsu's larger t-shirts that came down to just about cover her panties. Her hair once in cute pigtails was now let down and unkempt.

Natsu once again went and prepared the water for their noodles and Lucy cleared the table of papers and maths books. It was 9.30 went they were finally settled down to eat their dinner. Lucy had just called their housekeeper to inform her father that she would be home before 10.00. It was a school night and he was never even fond of her staying out on the weekends, even if it was just a sleep over at Levy's. She had often told her father she was staying over at Erza's or Levy's when in actuality she was with Natsu for the night. Even before they started going out she would do this. However about a month ago she was caught when her father decided to send for a chauffeur to pick her up at Levy's only to find she was not there. Once Jude had found out she wasn't where she was supposed to be he was furious. Lucy had come up with an excuse but under pressure and put on the spot it sounded unconvincing. Since then her father had close tabs on where she was especially at night. She's lucky he decided not to care tonight.

"Thank you for the meal, honey," Lucy playfully said while bowing to Natsu. She was in a playful mood. Natsu scuffed, "I thought we said not to call each other things like that, darling." Lucy giggled and skipped to where Natsu was seated to sit in his lap and plant kisses on his face. She felt up and down his toned body and arms enjoying hearing him hum before speaking.

"I have to get ready to go now." Natsu tightened his grip around her waist.

"When can you stay over again? Like spend the night."

Lucy laughed sarcastically, "Probably when my dad disowns me for wanting to go to college." Lucy continued smirking at her own remark but Natsu knew. He knew how much she was hurting over something like this. He lifted her up into his arms and carried her over to the couch where they cuddled a bit before she spoke, her voice slightly broken.

"You won't believe what he _did _this time," she stared her voice in disbelief, "he hid a letter from University Magnolia, which contained the details for the entrance exams and the final date I had to apply to actually do them. I would have never found out if I didn't hear my classmates talking about it the day it was due." She wasn't crying but her voice sounded like it was. "I ditched school early and took the first train to the University and filled it out there. Hah, I nearly had a heart attack. That was two days ago."

Jude Heartfilia was very narrow minded. He had always been dictating his daughter's future, but Lucy had different plans. He wanted her to marry Duke Sawarr Junelle, to merge the Heartfilia's wealth with that of the Junelles as soon as she graduated. Lucy was disgusted. The man was twenty-nine and she only eighteen. In fact Natsu had been even more disgusted. However this was the 21st century. She wasn't bound by law to marry this man.

Lucy had always dreamed of becoming an author. Her plan was to study English Literature in college and try her best to get some of her work on the market no matter how small the opportunity. And also to move in with Natsu so they could be together without her having to sneak around. Jude would most likely disown her for choosing this path, which would mean no money for college fees. They very idea of having no money scared Lucy. She had always had money to do and buy whatever she liked. To suddenly have nothing after making one decision… it would've isolated her. But not anymore.

Lucy turned in the man's lap so she was straddling him once again and embraced her arms around him. "Natsu, I'm so lucky to have you, I don't know where I'd be if I didn't meet you."

"That's easy you'd be with our other friends and they'd support you."

"Yeah, but I don't think I'd have the courage to stand up against my father and face what I'm about to face."

With Natsu's help she had I plan. If she did end up being disowned she would obviously move in with Natsu. He also managed to get Lucy a job at a pub, Fairy Tail if she was completely cut off from her wealth. Them and their other friends spent nearly all their weekends there and Natsu was close with the manager Makarov.

"I'm sorry we didn't get as much work done tonight as we'd planned. Are you going to be okay with the exam tomorrow?" She was always so considerate when it came to Natsu's education. I guess she truly understands that he struggles with learning and wants to help. She had her own work to be doing. If she works well enough on her entrance exams she could be awarded a scholarship. That would certainly take a lot of financial pressure off her. Natsu felt guilty sometimes, like he was wasting her time. "Don't you worry, you've done more than enough to help. Thank you Lucy!"

They stayed together for a while, both reluctant to let go. It was Lucy who initiated the kiss. It was gentle and sweet, but soon turned hungry and passionate. Both pressed their mouths closer and closer together while their tongues tackled one another, brushing teeth and the roofs of mouths. Their hands wondered everywhere. They parted for a split second to catch their breaths before continuing again.

Lucy suddenly gaining more confidence rolled them over so that Natsu was lying down and she was straddling his hips. "Hheh if this is what every day could be like then I can't wait for dad to disown me," she declared with a glint in her eyes.

Natsu responded to her act by grabbing her arms to turn them over so their positions were switched. While Lucy giggled happily he planted firm kisses on her neck and up the right hand side of her face. He moves his lips her ear whispering, "Umm and Lucy does your father know I'm fucking you every time I get the chance?"

"Stop, don't talk like that Natsu it's so embarrassing," Lucy whined trying to break free from his hold. "I seriously need to go now!" Natsu just smiled against her cheek before hoping off her and allowing her to scurry off to his room to get dressed.

….

…

..

They were outside now standing by Lucy's car. "Try talking to your father again. Try to compromise. It doesn't have to be like this between you two." Lucy just looked down. "You know I can always talk to him, maybe he'll understa-."

"NO," she said a bit too angrily at him. She looked at his eyes which were stunned to say the least. "No n-no just not yet Natsu, I still don't know how to bring up us a-and he might not agree with anything I choose if he knew I was keeping -."

"Yeah I know sorry I keep bringing it up, I just think it doesn't have to be this way."

Lucy felt so guilty talking about her own father like this. Natsu's father had disappeared when his was young and it made her feel so ugly that she wants her father out of her life….. to an extant anyway.

She decides to just let it go and lighten up the mood, "Let me know how you get on tomorrow, okay?" She smiled brightly pushing aside her problems for now.

"Hah yeah, I'll kick ass tomorrow for sure!"

"Ahhh you know I meant the exam, please don't start a fight or anything."

"Babe you know I'll do both." There it was again his signature smile. Lucy sighed. He was let off the hook because if that smile. It was the same grin he used when they first met_. "If you wanna have a good time come to fairy Tail with me and my friends." _

**Wow that ending was cheesy! I tried to take what Natsu said to her in the very first episode and apply it to an AU high school situation….ah well.**

**Please drop a review and tell me what I did wrong – seriously, if I put them too out of character or if the plot and flow of the one-shot didn't work (which I think it didn't) please please please let me know! **

**(If you have something nice to say please let me hear it **** It's only my second story and I need confidence)!**

**Btw anime viewers THAT NEW OPENING! I'm seriously in love with that song! Ending is chill, a little Nalu thrown in (animator's contribution to Nalu week I guess)**

**I really would like to try the prompts for Nalu week but I think I'll only get time next week so….**

**Anyway hope you enjoyed!**


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